Parliament yesterday passed a bill designed to reduce segregation in schools. It requires all local authorities that operate schools to draw up an equal opportunity plan against segregation. Those schools that do not draft such a plan will be barred from bidding for EU funds.

Education Minister István Hiller called the New Knowledge programme the most comprehensive public education plan of the past 15 years. He stressed the importance of equal opportunity and action against segregation.

One of the chief aims of the bill is to encourage poorer children to attend kindergarten. The parents of such children will be paid Ft 20,000 upon enrolment and Ft 10,000 for each semester.

Fidesz plans to challenge the legislation at the Constitutional Court. No reports indicated the basis of the party's objections.

The bill passed by a vote of 213-155. One Socialist voted against it, while two Fidesz MPs voted for it. The Free Democrats backed the bill, while the Democratic Forum did not. Nine Christian Democrat MPs voted in favour, including party chairman Zsolt Semjén.

In addition, MPs voted to increase the starting salaries of teachers.

Parliament also passed a resolution on establishing a NATO air base in Pápa to provide strategic air supply to the alliance, as well as to permit the stationing of NATO forces in Hungary.